And so, the first thing is for as the ceremonial unit will present our nations colors. Please rise. Forward much. March. Forward march. Now, please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance did i pledge allegiance to the flag the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you very much. You may be seated. Tonight, as we gather to salute the 115th congress to present to you one of the most consequential political figures of our time, a woman who makes history every , nancy pelosi. She is the 52nd speaker of the house of representatives. She made history in 2007 when she was elected the very first woman speaker to serve as the speaker of the house. And now, in her third term as speaker, pelosi consistently and the rest of us of the importance of history. Speaker pelosi expertly guides the United States house of representatives to act on behalf who electedople them while managing the diverse personalities and perspectives in her first term. She led the house passage of the american recovery and reinvestment act. The architect of the Affordable Care act. Versaw passage of the pay act the establishment of the office of congressional ethics. The repeal of dont ask dont are just these highlights. Confronted with the loss of the majority in 2010, thenminority leader pelosi did not stop. She invested in the next generation of leaders, ultimately retaking the majority in 2018 with the election, i might point out, of a historic number of women. Nancy pelosi made history again in january 2019 when she regained her position as speaker, second in line to the presidency after the Vice President , and the first person to do so to serve that second term in 60 years. Her leadership is strong, inclusive, and decisive. Thank you, Speaker Pelosi for being with us Speaker Pelosi, for being with us. [applause] thank you very much, jane. Thank you very much for your warm welcome. Thank you. I accept your kind words on behalf of all of the members of congress who care so much about the history of this capital, and thank you, as president of the u. S. Capital Historical Society, for your leadership. Brilliant leadership. Leadership, and for safeguarding the Rich Heritage of the peoples house. Celebration of the 115th congress. Carlson ford donna his leadership as well as the chair. I am honored to be here with colleagues will be coming and going. Ago, the great historian, david mccullough, spoke to congress of the statue of cleo. He said, for almost two centuries, cleo reminded of the people in these hallowed halls that we are part of history, that our works and options will face the judgment of history, and that we are part of a long and honorable heritage of our democracy. Probably in the last three years or so, he was here and gave the keynote speech. We are very honored that dr. Freeman will be giving the keynote speech here today. It is interesting how history comes alive through the art. Dr. Freemans work on american various aspects of american history. David mcculloughs work about. He early times in our country they are much more well known to people because they read the books. That were the movies made, and i really do believe that every time we have this event, there is a person, an artist, a creator, who is in our about the arts in , in a veryr history artistic way. , dr. Freeman,arts are what will unify america. Ours a time where we shed differences. , we are, we cry inspired. We learn, and it is unified. Us withu for honoring your presence today, and congratulations on your great work. T is an honor president campbell referenced this. This is the most Diverse Congress in history. The House Democratic caucus ,lone is over 60 women minorities, lgbtq. It is amazing. Class, asshman freshman class, some of you may recall, but maybe the rest of you read it in history books, when the water great watergate class came, it was historic. It was a big deal when they , in, and not one of them this new class, not one of them became a subcommittee chair. Class, 18 freshmen are subcommittee chairs and that is quite a remarkable thing. Bringing new, young people up in the ranks. And this congress, where we have a Record Number of women, over 100 women in the house. More than that. Much more. House and senate. This congress will be observing the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote, which to be ay much an honor woman speaker at that time with over 100 women in the congress. Exemplify our founders created. Diversity of opinion, debates, disagreements, and that is ok. That is ok. Our founders gave us so much with their courage. Imagine, to declare independence, fight a war, thank god they made them amendable so we can have expanding freedom over time. Unum,ve us e pluribus from many, one. They could not imagine how befferently would from each other. We have to remember we are one. When we have our differences of opinion and our debates and the rest, always remember that we one, and that is what america is all about. Our founders were very brilliant. Our founders wrote the beautiful andmble, we the people, they established the congress as the first branch of government. Article one, the legislative branch. I keep telling that to the other branches. Article one. For over two centuries, we have exercised sweeping constitutional powers and responsibilities. That is part of what we celebrate tonight. But let us always remember that it is our responsibility to debate and legislate, get results for the American People. In the house, we call ourselves the peoples house, and we take that very seriously. Gaze, weeos advance progress for all americans. , madam president , mr. Chair, we thank you. Thank you to the u. S. Capital Historical Society for keeping the flame going. I have been joined now by my colleague, congresswoman Debbie Dingell. I know you will have an Interesting Program tonight. Inspired by the arts, by dr. Freeman. Thank you for your allowing me a moment to share some thoughts you for your thank ongoing support of this magnificent institution. Thank you so much. Thank you. [applause] page you, Speaker Pelosi. We know that demands on your time are overwhelming. You honored us with your presence and that is really something very special, and it speaks to your commitment to telling the story of the article one, the legislative branch. One of the things that the Historical Society is dedicated to is that we are always bicameral and bipartisan. Of theell the story legislative branch, we recognize are the house things they the most important body and the senate thinks they are the most smartant body, and we are enough to have both of them come. Fromr next speaker comes the other side of the legislative chamber. Comes to us with a distinguished career of service to our country. After graduating from the united dates naval academy, todd young served in the United States marine corps. United states naval academy, todd young served in the United States marine corps. He was elected to the senate in 2016, so he comes as a bicameral individual himself. His legislative priorities include providing quality care for veterans, particularly disabled veterans, as well as , andfor the great lakes supporting Business Opportunities and growth. Join me in welcoming senator todd young. [applause] thank you. Thank you. Its great to be back in the house. This is such a nice occasion. I want to thank the Historical Society for hosting this event and for all of the leaders who helped make this happen. I also want to thank everyone who came here. I know your time is valuable. Recognizing congresss historical work is very important. Wehink it is important that remember our history and all we have accomplished. Anniversarythe 50th of the launch of apollo 11. You can apply for that. [applause] applaud for that. [applause] thank you. Nearly 600 Million People were able to watch Neil Armstrong take that first step on the moon. Created one of the most iconic moments in world history. If the past 50 years have taught us anything, anything, it is that society is moving at an all inspiring pace. No man can truly grasp how far humankind has, and how fast we have developed. Incredibles truly that humans come over the span that humans,ars over the span of just 50 years, could think of all the different discoveries we have had and that changes to our economy and to our culture and society over just a year period. We have come quite far. Ago of course, the world had barely dreamed of reaching the moon. Thought the risk was worth the price from originally. The adventure and its success was a true demonstration of american ingenuity, american leadership, and american courage. As the great Neil Armstrong said before a joint meeting of congress 50 years ago, it was here, in these halls, that our venture really began. Testament to the Space Program which would not have taken off without congress. As we follow the footprints of historys major endeavors, there are countless tracks leading back to congress. In 1958, congress created nasa, aeronauticsnational and space act. Congress cap of hundreds of major issues from childcare to retirement to Disease Eradication to national defense. Congress has drafted thousands bills, most of them going nowhere, with hundreds of ofs running the gamut legislative activity, from the creation of new constitutional amendments and Government Agencies i dont know if we had eliminated many of those to ratifying foreign treaties. In 1964, Congress Passed the Civil Rights Act and subsequently the age discrimination act in 1960 seven. Furthermore, in an effort to end workplace discrimination, Congress Passed the americans with disabilities act in 1990. History unfolds. That hasanother area been so important to human flourishing, the flourishing of the American People. Congress passed the trade expansion act and the trade and tariff act. Nafta came in 1993. Usmca may come soon. In the end, it is important to remember that those who came before us in certain that the states would take the lead on every venture and six every issue from a righteous position. Each member of congress, including myself, has vowed to move this great nation forward, to protect the constitution, to live up to the expectations of our constituents. To fulfill their needs. Next generation comes of age, america will need leaders who have the desire and the capacity to serve their country. I am not worried. I have great optimism in the future that those who come next will continue to make the u. S. Congress the leading legislative body in the world. Thank you all again for your time tonight. Thank you for having me. [applause] thank you, senator young. Coming hereiate you and sharing with us and sharing your time and perspectives. With one more distinguished member of congress and congresswoman Eddie Dingell is very special to the historic Debbie Dingell is very special to the Historical Society. We knew her first as a congressional spouse, and as a member of the Advocacy Community , and she was always a great supporter of hours and of the congress. And certainly a great supporter of her community. We were fortunate, not long ago, when we honored the house energy and, committee, to hear from the great john dingell, tell stories about those times when he shared that committee, that he maintained anything that moved was under the jurisdiction of his committee. Is aow, that he dingell. Ongresswoman all her own she comes with a distinguished resume, having served as the president of the General Motors foundation, chair of the manufacturing initiative, and lifelong advocate for issues important to women and children, founder of the National Womens center, and she brought all of that experience and all of that dedication, so her district is fortunate to have congresswoman debbie not just her own district but as a leader in congress, and we are honored to have you today. [applause] i want to thank the Historical Society for doing this and for all of you being here to support them. The last time john was in the f plastic was in the capital was when he came here. It was his last trip to washington. But he loved this institution, and he loved this capital. And he just wanted to be here to share that toy. Those stories. It, when iing about was going to say to you tonight. I do not normally talk about this because i am my own person. I get elected every two years and i am accountable to the iople of that district, but have a lot of history and i am very proud of my last name, and johns father was elected to the United States congress in 1933. Women and aix congress in 1933. Know johnsto father. I was never lucky enough. He was a new dealer. First offer of medicare for all. He introduced it after they had done social security. Institution and he knew what it meant to be american. John was on the house floor when they declared when fdr declared war and gave his famous speech. I did not know this. John boehner told us this. The only reason we have a recording of what happened on when president roosevelt declared war was because john did not listen to the pages and knew that it was and allowed him to continue or to take what was happening on that floor. He was elected in 1955. What i love was jack brooks served with johns father. Was telling me a story. John wanted to deny it. Boys ran all the way to the top of the dome, but , ran down the stairs, and the vibration have water balloons fall on people. That was in the 1940s. That is when this was i wish now that for this place to continue to be the peoples we did not people have to worry about security. People felt they could come in and it was easy. And they still feel pride, but the capital Historical Society is making sure it is possible that it is still about way. Howok at johns history and a reporterpeech told me this. His first speech in the house in 1955 was on civil rights. The first authors of civil rights legislation. You cannot imagine it in this day and age but when i was cleaning his office, he got denounced across the country for wanting to do the clean water act. Democrats and republicans. The world has changed. He always believed that you worked across the aisle, that we were all americans. He never forgot that. He believed he started in the middle and brought people in, and the compromise was not a dirty word. And that compromise was not a dirty word. I look back to when i married john. I was one of the first working spouses. I first came in, and yet now, spouses are working economic necessity. The world is changing. When i married john i am not old, but i am seasoned, people moved here. They went home, but their families got to know each other. There were relationships. Republican and democratic kids dated. Theirparents chaperoned palms together. You spent saturday night in somebodys backyard. Relationships matter. That is part of what is missing today. Onhough we do make good bets College Games a lot. I am looking at joe. Michigan lost of to his team. That is what really matters. So tonight, i am really happy. Thank you for preserving the history of this capital. At a time of more strife than i would like to see, and it sounds like blood is going to tell the story of other times in the history of our country, we have to always remember what a great democracy we have. Is. Acred our Constitution Free speech and the ability to disagree is something that is fundamental, that people can express. What we need to do is to listen to each other more, because the fact of the matter is none of us is ever totally right. We each have different perspectives. When we listen to each others perspective, we learn. Thank thee Capital CapitalHistorical Society for teaching of history. There have been other times like this. I was reading johns book and trying to say when i was going to say tonight. The i am serving in congress. I do not know that this is i wasng to whatever, but the first spouse that was in her husband was alive. And it was hard, by the way. It was really hard because he was looking over my shoulder every minute. I now talk to him a lot and say where are you giving me that advice that i may not have quite appreciated as much as i wish you were here now . We have more women than we have ever had for all the new members. Republicans and democrats have new vigor and energy. It is a good thing. I encourage you all to read what was in the Washington Post today after he died. Tohad lost the ability write, he was very focused. Message. D a the post called it his last words to america, and he even kicked me out of the room on i saidy morning, and christine has got to go home. He said woman, leave me alone. He was dictating it to her. I will tell you something else. Bill clinton called to check on the daywednesday before he died and jon hopkins bill clinton and george bush called me to check on me. Neither of them thought that john would be ok. He was focused. President bush could not stop laughing. In the last 24 hours of his life , he did talk to the democratic lastdent, and one of the people he spoke to was a republican president and he respected both of them and never forgot that. He reminded us all that in our government, we hold power. Entrusted to the officials from the people who use that to we will all serve our constituents with the greatest responsibility they have granted us for a period of time. Get caught up in the news of the day and the strikes on the floor, but it is important to remember this nations history. In the greatest nation in the world, and we can orer take our democracy freedom for granted. Thank you very much. What a powerful message, congresswoman dingle. You have a way with words, and you bring us history, and you bring us the future as well. As ase you stand there member of congress now in your own right, but understanding the history that you come with. The work of the Historical Society to keep the history of congress and the history of our democracy alive, and one of the ways we do that is to bring the worst scholars to this body. To distinguished scholars to this body to tell their stories so when someone throws their hands up and says it has never been this bad, we have never had wes kind of divisiveness, found someone to speak to you today who can convince you that, beend behold, it has worse, and our government has survived, our nation has survived. Our keynote speaker this evening is joanne freeman, a professor of history and american studies , whole university specializes in early american politics and political culture. Her interest is in Political Violence and political polarization. As she calls it, dirty, nasty politics. Something we know nothing about. That interest has made her work particularly popular in recent years. ,r. Freemans awardwinning for affairs of honor, National Politics in the new republic, explores political combat on the National Stage in the founding era. Her most recent book, the one given to each member of congress, the fields of blood, violence in congress on the road to civil war, but this is physically violent clashes in the house and senate chambers, and this is the former house chamber. The very place where that violence took place. Savagedthey shaved and our nation. Been committed to public minded history for some time. You may not know that the , wasar musical, hamilton partly based on her research. And linmanuel miranda, who was the winner of our Freedom Award not many years back, relied on her research and engaged her in his studies as he tried to prepare that incredible musical. She is the cohost of a popular historical podcast named back story. On, i shalld on and not do that, but will instead present to you joanne freeman. [applause] thank you so much for that introduction, and good evening. Thatt to start by saying particularly, given that i am here speaking at an event that is honoring a congress that does include so many women, i am very happy to stand before you as a woman historian, so it is only appropriate. Thank you very much. Sayingwant to start by something that was just referenced. I am very honored to be speaking before you this evening in this particular space before this particular audience, speaking in honor of this particular congress. 17pent much of the past years focusing my scholarship on the institution of congress in the decades leading up to the civil war. Congress, the capital building, and this hall, for a time, the house of representatives, have been at the center of my thoughts for much of those 17 years. A lot of what i wrote about happened in this room. The people, the politics, the passion, the politicians, particularly lesserknown ones who were fascinating to study. All of them transpired in this space where you now sit. Speaking to the Congressional Community tonight in this space is kind of a bucket list moment for me. Have been relishing it from the moment i was invited to come here. I want to thank you and the congressional sponsors of this program and the wonderful folks at the capitol Historical Society for giving me the opportunity to be here and to address you tonight. Now, i have to say, given the amount of time i have been immersed in studying the doings of the Antebellum Congress, looking around this space, i see a lot of historical shatters. Seeexample, i can almost John Quincy Adams. He would have been sitting over there. Came to the house notably after he was president of the United States, and i can almost hear him literally bringing the house down around him with his own aggressive stance against slavery. Theing at what used to be face before the speakers theform, i can almost see massive brawl that took ways between armed northerners and southerners in 1858, largely having to do with the institutions of slavery that ended only when one congressman yanked the to pay off of the the headhe toupe off of another congressman. Slapstick is eternal. Now, to get a real sense of the space and action, i want to offer you the words of a congressional clerk named engine and brown french, who described a typical evening session in 1836, including both its highs and lows. He wrote, when fully lit at night, the light in this hall is equal to that of at least 1000 candles. The beautifully painted roof, the vast pillars, the red drapery about the speakers ,hair, and between the columns all appear richer if possible by artificial light than by the light of day. The galleries are usually crowded during an evening session with all the gentility of washington. If the house happened to be in a good humor, as some interesting subject is under debate, i know of no more imposing spectacle than an evening session. Whenfrench continues, other medical or 12 00 at night arrives, the spectators begin to thin off and the members drop away. Tiredwho remain become and sleepy. Motions are made to adjourn. Noise and confusion frequently occurs. Ataker calls order, order the top of his voice. Members are sleeping in their seats are stretched upon the sofas and chairs or even upon the carpet. By 2 00 in the morning, french goes on, someone usually moves a call of the house. By 5 00 in the morning, the sergeant at arms has arrested missing congressman and dragged them back to the house, and they arrive not quite in working uncombed,e hair looking as little like the first gentleman in america as possible. Obviously, some of the highs and the lows of the Antebellum Congress indeed. I offered that selection to honor french, an amazing figure who left behind and 11 volume diaryan 11 volume diary who allowed us to get a sense of what it felt like to be in it. I offer this account to set the stage. I quoted it to note something that essential to understanding the u. S. Congress, what it is, how it works, and what it does. This is a statement work making. Congress was making. Congress is worth making. Congress is the ongoing interplay of people with each other. The dynamics of Human Interaction that make it go, so to speak. Throughout our nations history, those human dynamics have been shifting, sometimes unpredictable, sometimes problematic, sometimes highly problematic. My most recent book, the field of blood, notes what happened during some of those highly andlematic moments, when researching the book, i am covered roughly 70 physically violent incidents in the house and in it between the 1830s and the 1850s. And by physically violent, i shoving,ng, fistfights, people pulling guns and knives on each other, and tools, dual negotiations du l els, duel negotiations, wild elees, and a handful of fistfights. It is a really dramatic story, it is little known outside of scholarly circles for good reason, because a lot of it with censored out of the period equivalent of the congressional record. ,here are clues in the record so for example, now and again, you will see when youre reading through the record i spent a whole year reading the congressional record, which is dedication there are clues. Once i knew the violence was there. Now and again, the record will Say Something like the debate became unpleasantly personal at one point. [laughter] meant case, that that was describing a moment when one congressman pulled the gun on another congressman. That is indeed unpleasantly personal. Or the record will Say Something like there was a sudden sensation in the corner. Meant wase, what that to congressman got in a fight, started punching each other, and flipped over a desk. Enormous brawls sometimes get mentioned in the record, but often in the very barest detail, as is the case in one huge fight in 1849 that a clerk recording it described with this wonderful , politically which can he wrote in brackets in the record the house is like a heaving b illow. Some of this violence was a product of the times. The United States during those decades was an exceedingly violent place. Riots,were electoral violence, and the violence centered on the institution of slavery, and the nations brutal treatment of mission americans native americans. These were men who were most likely to be armed and men who were most willing to engage in mantoman combat. Some of the congressional violence was strategic, and it involves these men intimidating or threatening their political opponents into silence or compliance, particularly on the issue of slavery. Take for example john dodson of louisiana. When someone insisted John Quincy Adams had every right to discuss an antislavery petition, dodson, who happened to generally armed himself with a pistol and a boeing eyes b owie knife, essentially said to i amdo that again and going to cut your throat from year to year eartoear. Message received. Southern slaveholders attempted to silence debate on slavery, and for a time, this strategy worked quite well for the south. For a time, southerners wielded an outside influence on the floor of congress and protected their slave regime in the process. In the late 1850s, the dynamic changed, and the violence be for two recent peaked for two reasons. The issue of slavery was undeniably at the center of National Debate due to the nations expansion westward. And to me, particularly interestingly, the technology of medications changed. At this technology of the nation changed. A new form of technology, the worse by, made matters transmitting news around the nation with breakneck speed before politicians could spin the news as they saw fit. Just as these situation begin to fester, a new technology spread news faster than ever before and without congressional spin. To exaggeraterd the degree to which the technological innovation of the telegraph changed the nature of politics. One small example of that, in 1850 in the senate, one congressman pulled a gun on another continent and there was a stampede and some confusion, and in the end, nothing happened. After the episode was over, a senator from New Hampshire stood up and said i feel the need to tell people that within 45 minutes, the nation is going to be meeting that we are slaughtering each other in the senate. And you can feel in that account that the room was kind of realizing that they lost control of the war he the story. There was little they could do to change that narrative. Think about how we are grappling with the beach, power, and implications of social media, and he began to get an idea of them reach, power, and implications of social media, and we begin to get an idea of what i am talking about. In a sense, it should come as no surprise that the dramatic changes in the modes of conversation caused dramatic changes in democracies themselves. When northerners discovered, partly through these technological changes, the debris to which their representative degree to which the representative rights were being stifled, the ways in which their representative voices were being silenced, they urged the representatives to fight back and began to vote more combative men into office. Many more than congressman did fight back with more than sts,times a fift with fi until the fighting overwhelmed the heart of the doings of congress. The distress, the bitterness, the cents on each side that their opponents were degrading it, to use their words for by north and south of life, eroded alike, eroded congress. There is a lot to be learned from the narrative i just laid out. Veryl say that i seem savvy for having written a book about congressional conflict and violence that came out at just this time, but it took 17 years to write it and i never could have but it did that predicted that here would be at just this moment. The story as much to tell us. I will mention a few key points. Our political system has become so complex that i think it is easy to forget the groundlevel power of the core essence of congress and what it does. The powerful emotions and the equally powerful symbolism that complicates what happens in congress and how people feel about what their representatives do and their representatives are. People looking on in the nation at large, congress is kind of a national sounding board. For some, it is a personification of the state of the nation, with all of the motion that that implies. Emotion that that implies. Even so, the workings of this institution and its mood, temper, and its dynamics, send americans at large a strong message about the state of affairs in their country, and tot first drew my Interest Congress and the first place was the unique status as an implication that brings people together physically from all over the nation and put them into two chambers and forces them to pass things out hashthings ou to things out. However cost six that conversation cauti that austicsation maybe, cuasti be, itnversation may matters. It is the ultimate guardrail of governance. Because of that intense link between the American People and their representatives, what happens here and what is said here sometimes has exceedingly broad and profoundly symbolic that reach far beyond the impact of a specific piece of legislation. Congress has extraordinary potential to create a national we. ,ymbolically, structurally politically, emotionally, rhetorically, visibly. Congress is in fact the American People in assembly. It both shapes and reflects public sentiment. In essence, in a lot of ways, congress is the nations beating heart. It is working as a representative institution. Role, givingal voice to the popular will and allowing the churning up Difficult Conversations to happen of Difficult Conversations to happen, all of those are the lifeblood of institutions. I am about to do something that is really counterintuitive. Alexander hamilton is, i hope he will forgive me. I am about to discuss the man who killed him, aaron burke. Figure. Controversial he is having something of a moment now because of that play. His politics were sometimes equivocal. He was something of an adventure. He told hamilton. He was tried for treason and acquitted. He was apparently a very good Vice President. He was fairminded, he was attentive to procedure, and he understood the profound significance of the institution of congress in the making or breaking of the american nation. Along those lines, towards the end of his vice presidency, he said the following during his formal farewell to the senate, profoundly it is so it so profoundly captures the significance of congress, that i want to close with the words of aaron burr. Burr said, this house is a law andy, a citadel of liberty. Will be anywhere, resistance made to the storms of political frenzy and the silent arts of corruption. And if the constitution be destined ever to perish by the sacrilegious hand of the demagogue or the usurper, which god avert, its expiring agony will be witnessed on this floor. Thank you very much. [applause] one of the things that society is privileged to do come here, mr. Chairman. This is don carlson, the chairman of the board. [applause] one of the things we are honored, we have some of the models of the renovation of the capital. We use that to create all kinds of products, so when someone speech,s with their especially a scholar, we provide to you book ends made from the marble of the capital. Wow. [applause] the chairman says make sure to tell people that we now have thelego set that you can the that you can buy from us and build the capital yourselves. We are almost to the eating and drinking time. All i want to do is take a minute to acknowledge the board of the capital Historical Society. Those of you on the board, please stand and be recognized. We appreciate your [applause] we are a nonprofit thenization that exists by investment of time, talent, and treasurer of the people on the board and the people who care about the history of congress. And one of the group that was especially helpful today is the National Association of realtors. T ansnk ans we thank you very much. The clerk of the house, i talked to her earlier today, and i suggested that she might want to join us, because of the story being written by the clerk. Virginia foxx, icu, one of our very best Board Members and members of congress. You, one of our very best Board Members and members of congress. A few members of congress may have slipped in and out. Please stand. Come on. Thank you. [applause] congressman wilson, yes. Thank you. Thank you so much. You know, i get the privilege to stand here, but i do not stand here having pulled this event off by myself. There is a really dedicated group of staff who worked for the society, and a dedicated group of volunteers, so i would like all the Staff Members to , including the entrance. Thank you very much. Thank you. And so, it is time to eat, drink, and be merry. Thank you very much. Thank you for being with us. On theay night, communicators, we will talk about the future of broadcast television and challenges local broadcasters face with Online Platforms like netflix and amazon, with National Association of broadcasters, president and ceo, gordon smith. We are still there as the answer to what is happening with journalism. We are still doing the reporting. We are Still Holding people accountable. And so, i think the future for broadcasting is not just one that we will survive, we will thrive, because the people need what we do. Even though they sometimes take for granted that we are going to be there. We occupy what i would describe as an era principal irreplaceable, indispensable niche in communications. Watch on cspan2. American history tv products are now available at the new cspan online store. Store. Org to see what is new, and check out all of the cspan products. Presidency, john farrell talks about Richard Nixons early life and career, how they influenced his issidency, and he argument argued, ultimately led to his downfall. He is the author of it is my pleasure to welcome my figure tonight. He is a contributing editor to politico magazine. He worked as what has correspondent and served on the spotlight team. Journalist,ity as a he has covered every Residential Campaign from 1980 through 2012. Ruth he also served as a senior political respondent. A nonprofit Investigative Service for nbc. In